Construction of a 300 megawatt Chinese-made nuclear power plant in Pakistan is expected to begin as early as the end of this year, a leading Chinese official said Monday.
"In May last year, CNNC signed with the Pakistani side a contract concerning the second 300 megawatt power plant in Chashma," Kang Rixin, general manager of the state-owned China National Nuclear Corporation told journalists.
"Now the contract is being carried out and by the end of this year or the beginning of next year construction on this project will be started and the first concrete will be poured."
The reported 700 million dollar project is the second phase of the Chashma power plant, which already has a similar 300 megawatt Chinese-made reactor that began operation in 2000.
The design of the reactor is based on China's homemade Qinshan 1 nuclear reactor in its eastern province of Zhejiang.
In December, the two sides signed an agreement for the utilisation of 150 million dollars of the "preferential export credit" provided by China for construction of the second unit at Chashma which sits in Pakistan's central Punjab province.
China agreed to build the 300 megawatt power plant last year and both sides have insisted it is for civilian use only.
Pakistan's archrival India has in the past expressed its reservations about nuclear and military cooperation between Pakistan and China.
